Reconciliation
by Vaneria Potter
Summary: Two-shot sequel to 'Letters'. Toph's reconciliation with her parents after the war.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. No profit is being made from the posting of this fanfiction._

_Summary: Two-shot sequel to 'Letters'. Toph's reconciliation with her parents after the war._

* * *

**POPPY**

Poppy Bei Fong had all but choked on her tea when Toph had actually introduced her parents to her companions. The Dragon of the West was notorious throughout the Earth Kingdom, and Poppy's mental picture of him was of a huge and terrifying man, spouting fire and bellowed commands. Whatever the imaginary image of the legendary Fire Nation General, it didn't really match with the kindly-looking older man who waxed lyrical about the proper way to serve and prepare tea, and who charmed every lady he came across.

They had heard little of the Fire Lord, other than that he wanted peace between the Nations, but again, they had not expected a young man only a few years older than Toph, who accepted and returned her teasing like an indulgent older brother.

The Water Tribe boy, Sokka, they had brushed off as an idiot, but was apparently an occasional genius. Poppy could see the remains of Toph's first serious crush, but she seemed to have resigned herself to, again, the role of a sister, this time the sister who hides her affection behind antagonizing her unfortunate brother.

Aang filled a similar role to Sokka, the prodigy younger brother who tried to be mature, but frequently lapsed into the behaviour of the child that he was. Poppy thought that the world was in for a very interesting time with that boy as the Avatar, at least until he grew up and actually did mature.

Katara's role was an interesting one. She was the oldest sister that Poppy and Lao had seen in some of the lesser-ranked families, where the older girls took on or assisted in their mother's duties, to prepare and gain experience for when they had families of their own.

A family that Toph had built for herself, in the absence of the family that Lao and Poppy should have been for her.

Well, Poppy had been given a second chance to make things right with her daughter, and she had no intention of wasting it.

* * *

Poppy had been planning, and Lao, very aware of how dangerous his wife could be when she had her mind set, was keeping a carefully appropriate distance.

The Earth King was throwing a party in celebration of the end of the Hundred Year War, and the Avatar and his companions were to be the guests of honour. Toph did not see why they had to "get all fancied up to parade around a bunch of overdressed snobs, and if those girls from that day you dragged me to the spa are there, I'm leaving!"

Any chance of getting Toph properly dressed up (and Poppy's plan of introducing Katara to a nice Earth Kingdom boy – Toph was still a bit young to be thinking about match-making) would take long and careful planning. Poppy's daughter was a tomboy, but even the most determined 'non-girly-girl' could be encouraged to dress up nicely, if you knew how to persuade them.

Planning to get Toph to dress up was a dangerous operation that had so far taken several weeks to perfect. Poppy was just putting the finishing touches to it when there was a loud yell, and Toph's panicked voice. "Mom, help!"

Years of worrying kicked in, and Poppy all but flew in the direction of her daughter, joined by her husband, only to skid to a stop in shock and amazement. Toph was in a sling of ice, being carried by Katara as she determinedly made her way to the bath house. "Not going to work, Toph. You're having a bath for this party if I have to scrub you down myself!"

Poppy had to admire the technique, even as she marvelled at the strength and determination it must have taken to get Toph in this position, if the large bruise on Katara's arm was any indication. Toph, however, was not giving up without a fight. "Sokka, rescue me from your crazy sister! Sparky, are you going to let her do this?"

Fire Lord Zuko and Sokka were following at a respectable distance, and answered simultaneously. "Yes." "Hey, I stopped getting in the way of a determined Katara when I was ten. You're on your own here."

Poppy decided to intervene. She had been trying to take a more active, and less overbearing, role in her daughter's life, and now was a good time to show that she didn't plan on making Toph's decisions for her any more. "Toph, if Katara puts you down, will you come to the bath house? We won't make you stay long, just long enough to get clean. And you can choose how to style your hair tonight. Is that an acceptable compromise?"

Toph considered it. "Fine, but I get to choose my dress, as well."

Poppy decided not to point out that Toph couldn't see the dress, but decided that they would simply try on all of the dresses until Toph found one that she liked. Katara narrowed her eyes, "Not your travelling clothes, and we have a deal."

From Toph's quickly hidden pout, Poppy had the feeling that Toph had tried that before. "Fine. Now put me down."

The ice melted, and a coil of water set Toph gently down on the floor. Katara nudged Toph gently, prompting her, and Toph sounded unusually hesitant. "Mom, would you come with us? Katara doesn't know the Earth Kingdom styles, and it's been a while since we did anything together."

Poppy practically danced forward and took her daughter's hand. Behind them, there were two yelps as two stone blocks suddenly appeared, sending Sokka and Zuko flying.

* * *

Toph had forgotten how soothing it was to just sit and have her mother brush her hair. Her mother would hum to Toph in time with the brush strokes, and talk to her in a low, soft voice. Sometimes she wondered how much of her deviousness, how she knew how to bargain, bluff and impress, came from those quiet sessions.

It had seemed impersonal, before, as though Poppy were fulfilling an obligation to her helpless, blind child, but her travels with the GAang had shown Toph that just because she and Sokka tended to bull their way through things, didn't mean that everyone did.

How many times had Toph found herself or the others doing as Katara said, before they even realized that she had been giving out orders? How many times had Aang conveyed a piece of Airbender philosophy, or Sokka or Zuko 'casually mentioned' an idea, and they found themselves going along with it?

How many times had her parents demonstrated that they loved her and wanted to keep her safe, that she misinterpreted as distant, overprotective or believing her weak and helpless?

* * *

Going to the spa with Toph, Katara, and the Kyoshi Warrior, Suki, had been an experience. Toph had submitted to the pedicure with limited grace, then made up for it by using her bending to make the mud-mask twist and billow over her face, making her look like some strange creature from the Spirit World and scaring the attendant out of her wits.

It had been sort of beautiful, watching Toph tap the bench in the sauna, and sending a rock flying onto the brazier, followed by a ribbon of water as Katara languidly waved a hand, resulting in a fresh burst of steam.

There had been a low point, when a rude receptionist loudly inquired why a blind girl would be at a spa, when she would never appreciate the effects. Poppy had just started to launch into a tirade at the receptionist and his manager (who was tripping over himself to make amends when he realized who they were), when a brush of a little foot against the ground had sent the rude receptionist flying into the rafters.

Toph was a powerful Earthbender, but the demonstration of how subtle she could be when she wanted to made Poppy feel slightly better about not catching on until Lao found Toph in the Earth Rumble ring.

* * *

Now, they were at the Earth King's party, and Toph was sweeping her bare feet back and forth, picking people out through their vibrations. She perked up suddenly, a mischievous look flickering across her face, before coming back to camp there. "Is that Mr Moustache?"

A sigh, and the tone of one who is repeating something for the fiftieth time, yet doesn't hold much hope of being more successful now than any of the previous times. "Don't call him that, Toph. Besides, he shaved it off."

A Wicked giggle. "I know that, Sugar Queen. It was right after you said it didn't suit him. Are you sure you didn't have a secret thing together?"

A near-growl as Katara stalked away to greet the tall Earth Kingdom boy and his near-giant of a father. Poppy sighed. Well-intentioned or not, she and Lao had never really considered what would happen after Toph no longer had to be hidden away. They had made sure she knew polite behaviour, but with a lack of friends or anyone outside of deferential servants, it had left their daughter woefully unprepared for basic interaction. "There is a difference between teasing your friends and deliberately antagonizing them, Toph. If Katara doesn't want to talk about it, then please try to respect that."

A brief pause, and a faintly guilty look from her daughter. "Oh. Sorry Mom."

A raised eyebrow, even though she knew Toph wouldn't see it. "I'm not the one you need to apologise to, dear. Now, who is this young man?"

Toph laughed again, though she tried to keep it discreet this time. "He's a boy from an Earth Kingdom village that Katara, Sokka and Aang rescued while on the way to the North Pole, before I joined them. Then he came to help in the Invasion on the Day of Black Sun, and came with us to the Western Air Temple after it failed. He likes Katara more than he'll admit wherever Sokka might hear."

A nice Earth Kingdom boy who already had a crush on Katara? This might turn out even better than Poppy had hoped. Toph caught that vibe. "Mom, you're not looking for someone to match-make me with, are you?"

Poppy laughed at the apprehensive note in her daughter's voice. Toph was only twelve, after all. "No, Toph, you're still a few years young for that, and your father and I don't plan on doing that without your input."

Poppy was still getting to know her daughter, but she could tell that an arranged marriage would be a natural disaster waiting to happen. It wouldn't be the first time Toph had moved the Earth to escape from an unwanted situation (the gardens and the back wall of the Bei Fong estate would never be the same) and was it so wrong if Poppy wanted a few more years with the little daughter she barely knew?

Knowing that she wasn't about to be on the receiving end of her mother's romantic notions perked Toph up very quickly. "Oh, good. I want a few more years with you and Dad first." Her tone turned a bit too casual. "You know, Katara likes Haru more than she'll admit wherever Sokka might hear, but Haru's an Earthbender, too, so I can't just trap them in a cave and not let them out until they admit that they like each other. What do we do in that situation?"

'_What do WE do.'_ Something girlish that Poppy and Toph could do together to help others, and Toph knew Katara better than Poppy did. It wasn't quite one of the things Poppy had planned, but it would do.

* * *

A week later, the entire house heard Sokka shrieking about 'Betrayal of friendship' and 'Defiling my little sister', after he walked in on Haru and Katara kissing. On the other side of the house, safely away from the commotion, Poppy showed where Toph had inherited her usually-well-intentioned meddling and Evil Smirk from as she and her daughter congratulated each other on a job well done.

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_A/N: I'm planning to do something with Lao and Toph in a second Chapter, but that will be the end. You can blame SCWLC for inspiring me to do a final 'what-happened-next'._

_I'm going away for Christmas on the 22nd__, and won't be back until after New Year, so I'm posting several updates now to tide you all over. Reviews make wonderful Christmas Presents!_

_Thanks, Nat._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender. This should be obvious, but FF.n insists on making me admit it._

_Summary: See previous chapter._

* * *

**LAO**

Lao Bei Fong wasn't entirely sure how setting up one of Toph's friends with a 'nice Earth Kingdom boy', as Poppy had phrased it, counted as mother-daughter bonding, but as long as his wife and daughter were happy, he wasn't about to complain.

Having one of Toph's friends linked to the Earth Kingdom meant that Toph would at least visit on occasion, which had probably been Poppy's original intention. Lao's wife could be as plesant or as deadly as her namesake, even if she was good at hiding it.

What Lao was complaining about was that he had no such way to relate to their only child.

Quite the opposite, actually. He was not an Earthbender, or a fighter, and though Poppy had agreed with him and it had been a decision made in anger, he had been the one to say that, rather than being proud of their daughter, Toph was to be confined to the house under guard for the rest of her life.

He regretted his words once he had the chance to calm down and think, but what was said could not be unsaid. Besides, he still maintained that Toph's actions _had_ been reckless and dangerous. His daughter might be able to take care of herself, but that didn't change the fact that a self-taught twelve-year-old was going up against professional fighters twice and three times her age and experience!

Well, perhaps he could start by asking Toph what she _did _like, aside from beating grown men up in Earth Rumbles. It shamed him to admit that he didn't know the answer to that question, but at least he still had the chance to find out.

* * *

He soon had the chance to find out, as Toph took a singular delight in proving that Aang might be the Avatar, but she was still his Earthbending _Sifu_, and she could still bounce him off the walls. She also seemed to be teaching Miss Katara's new boyfriend some advanced techniques, supposedly something about giving Katara a good fight when they argued.

There was a thought. Toph might be a bit of a rough-and-tumble teacher, but she could teach, and if she wanted to travel, she could do so by seeking out Earthbenders that she wanted to take as students. Katara had mentioned a Bending school for girls, and while she had been talking about Water Tribe girls who wanted to learn more than healing, it was still a good idea.

Perhaps Lao could talk to Toph about building and funding such a school. She would enjoy yet another way to prove that she was the World's Greatest Earthbender, and with any luck, it would keep her mind off planning a showdown against King Bumi of Omashu for the title. Politics of a commoner, however well-born, challenging her sovereign ruler to an Earthbending contest aside, Lao wasn't sure that the Earth Kingdom would survive such a contest.

Toph had been sceptical at first, no doubt remembering her own tutors, who had been under orders to treat her gently, but quickly warmed up to the idea when Lao pointed out that it would be mostly like training the Avatar, and the practical lessons would be a lot like Earth Rumbles.

Lao wondered if heshould start to worry when Toph started muttering about being able to train students without Katara's "backseat teaching", and the possibility of the two schools having a 'friendly contest' every once in a while, but shrugged it off. If people wanted to train under some of the greatest Masters in the world, then they should be prepared for a rough time.

* * *

Katara and Sokka were dragging their companions to visit the Southern Water Tribe, under the complaint that they had been to the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, and three out of four Air Temples, but Aang was the only one who had visited either of the Water Tribes. Zuko attempting to capture Aang at both poles didn't count, apparently.

Lao thought that Sokka was probably hoping that meeting the rest of Katara's family would intimidate Haru away from his little sister, but doubted it would work. From what Lao had heard, Chief Hakoda actually liked the Earth Kingdom boy, and Master Pakku would be relieved that Katara was settling down with a potential husband. Lao was having trouble getting past twelve years of misconceptions, but Master Pakku had an entire lifetime of prejudice to overcome. He couldn't be expected to completly get over the opinion that girls should marryand raise families young in less than a year, though Lao imagined that Toph and Katara's family would be working on that.

Either way, there was the problem that the South Pole was mostly covered with ice thick enough that it would be almost impossible for Toph to see. Rather than point that out, however, and seem like he was going back to treating his daughter like a delicate flower, he started looking for a way to fix the problem.

To that end, he enlisted the aid of the Avatar, who, as Toph's first student, would best know how her Earthbending sight worked. Apparently, she used the vibrations caused by movement on or in the earth to form an image of the things around her.

While some of his decisions concerning his daughter had fallen along the lines of being a 'Bloody Stupid Idea' Lao Bei Fong was not a foolish man. Toph had to have some contact with her Element, be it stone or metal, in order to 'see'. If Toph couldn't touch the Earth, then Lao would just have to bring the Earth to Toph.

A staff made of stone and metal, so that she could use it to pick up vibrations, or, if that didn't work, to at least make sure she didn't crash into things, and hit anyone who tried to be condescending about it.

Toph loved it, and gave her father the first hug and genuine smile he had received from her in years.

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_A/N: A father may be a girl's first love, but that doesn't mean they are good about talking about things or opening up about weaknesses. I'm a certified Daddy's Girl, and Dad does try – he was the first one to encourage my professional writing, and introduce me to Historical Re-enactments with my love of History – but we both get uncomfortable when it comes to Deep Subjects. Toph bonds with her mother over the little things, like plotting other people's love lives and talking as Poppy brushes her hair. Lao doesn't know the first thing about any of that, so he shows his affection in different ways. He thinks, 'What does Toph like, and how can I help make that happen'. Besides, I already did one kind of bonding with Poppy, and it would be boring if I did the same thing with Lao._

_The idea of a stone/metal staff as a seeing-device is borrowed from __**SCWLC**__'s __Proposal Series__, which is a must-read if you're looking for a laugh._

_Constructive Criticism is appreciated, but Flames are not._

_Thanks, Nat_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, or any of the associated characters._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters_

* * *

**TOPH**

Toph had never thought that her relationship with her parents could eventually grow and mellow to be like this.

For most of her life, the had believed her weak and helpless, treating her with such delicacy that it seemed as if they feared that she would shatter in a particularly strong gust of wind. That her father had not only changed his view, but was actively encouraging her to Bend, was something that she never could have dreamed.

She still had the sneaking suspicion that he was encouraging her to start a school so she could fight without participating in Earth Rumbles, but nearly a year with Katara's gentle bossiness had finally taught her that sometimes you needed to take things one step at a time. Toph had spent most of her life giving them the impression that she was helpless, and it was difficult for them to have that perception turned on its head.

In all fairness, Toph couldn't really blame her parents for over-reacting when they discovered that she was an Earth Rumble champion. If she had been any less than the greatest Earthbender in the world, or if she had been truly blind, she could very well have been killed.

What would happen after the war had seemed like a foregone conclusion. Sokka and Katara would go home to the Water Tribe, or maybe Katara would go with Aang, who _everyone_ knew was in love with her, and they would wander around looking for any other Nomads that may have survived in between his duties as the Avatar, and Toph would travel, staying as far away from Gaoling as possible.

It was just proof that things almost never went according to plan.

Suki and Sokka were splitting their time between the South Pole and Kyoshi Island, until they decided where they wanted to settle down permanently. Aang and Katara were not in a relationship (much to the young Airbender's disappointment), and the Last Waterbender of the South was talking about setting up a Bending school for Water Tribe Girls. Thanks to her new relationship with Haru (which Toph proudly claimed partial credit for and Aang was still upset about), and the fact that there were benders at both poles, she was setting it up in the Earth Kingdom, where any lost control wouldn't blow up the landscape too badly. Katara had blown up a large iceberg while shouting at Sokka once, and while it had been that incident that led to Aang's return, it could have gone very badly. Apparently, they would spend the winter months in the Earth Kingdom, and go to the South Pole in the summer, to put what they had learned to practical use.

* * *

The young Earthbender wasn't sure if she had actually convinced her father into helping Katara set up her school, or if he had already been planning on it, since Toph herself was making similar plans, and after catching onto Toph's competitive nature, decided that it would do both girls some good to have someone they could compete with as equals nearby.

Katara had already received an angry letter from the North Pole, ranting about stealing all of their young women away, as had the Bei Fongs, for encouraging her. Toph's mother had been annoyed at the general tone of the letter, but had largely ignored it. Toph had been flattered when Katara asked her help to compose an appropriately snarky letter back, pointing out that no one was forcing the Northern Tribe women to leave, and it could all be solved by letting girls learn more than healing.

Besides, Master Pakku might have choked on it a little, but he didn't try to stop her, and had actually complemented her as being one of the best students he had ever trained. Given that Pakku's usual response to someone doing well was a complement hidden within an insult (something that Toph actually admired about the old man) it was practically the equivalent of a standing ovation.

* * *

Precisely why Katara wanted Toph to stand with her at her wedding, rather than someone like Suki, was totally beyond Toph, but it would only be polite, according to her parents, and Katara was her best friend.

Of course, it could be that Katara just wanted Toph there to make sure that Aang didn't try to stop the ceremony.

Having learned that being strong didn't mean you couldn't relax and be girly on occasion, and not wanting to go through Katara trying to persuade her, Toph agreed.

Besides, Toph was all kinds of awesome at bending, fighting, plotting and sarcasm, so of course she could be the best Witness, as well. Besides, this way Toph could make Katara dress up in a taller version of Toph's old bending clothes if _she_ ever got married.

* * *

Two years later, a blind fifteen-year-old, the greatest Earthbender in the world, grinned proudly as she sat next to her parents, using her Earthbending to 'watch' a match between one of Katara's Waterbenders and one of her Earthbenders. The Waterbender currently had the upper hand, but Earthbenders listened, and waited for the right moment…

She had waited, and listened when her parents wanted to start over, and acted… and everything turned out even better than she had planned.

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_A/N: So, I originally planned to leave it at just Poppy and Lao, but it didn't quite feel finished, so here is Toph. She might seem a bit out of character, but she is now older, has the responsibility of teaching multiple students (she seemed more serious and responsible when she was teaching Aang Earthbending) and has reconciled with her parents. Eventually, time changes everything._

_Anyway, I hope you all liked it, and constructive criticism is always appreciated._

_Thanks, Nat_


End file.
